ADDRESS AT ROLLESTON

Press, Volume L, Issue 15137, 28 November 1914, Page 10

ADDRESS AT ROLLESTON

Notwithstanding the early hour (ti | a'cloek) at which tho meeting was held, j there was a good attendance in tho i Rolleston School yesterday evening, | when Mr Rhodes delivered another ! political address. j Mr T. Pearce, chairman of the school [ committee, who presided, said that in i Mr Rhodes they had as their Parlia- j mentary representative one who was I highly respected, not only in his own district, but throughout New Zealand, i They wanted as representatives mci I such as he, who did their business quietly and well. As a Minister of tho Crown, their member had had a strenuous eeesion, and consequently found it necessary to hold two meetings on some days, in order to visit ail tho centres of his constituency before polling (lay. That was why tho meeting was being held at such an early hour. In tho course of his address, Mr Rhodes, as Minister of Public Health, referred to tho statement made by Dr. Thacker, a. candidate for Christchurch East, that tho Public Health 'Department had not been up-to-date since the Massey Government came into office, and that tho smallpox epidemic haJ been badly handled. Tho best answer to that statement was, Mr Ithodes eaid, the fact that whereas in New South Wales cases were still occurring not one caso had occurred in New Zealand for over eight months. Instead of blaming tho Health Department, as Dr. Thacker had done, they should give the Chief Health Officer and his officials every credit for s-o speedily stamping out that dread disease. Mr Rhodes dealt fully with tho subject of defence, and referred to a statement made by Sir Joseph Ward in one of his recent speeches, to the effect that tho Massey Government had taken m> steps to get the Imperial authorities to carry out their part of tho 1909 agreement. Tho fact was that soon after they took office the Government approached the Imperial authorities about tho matter, and oven offered to increase tho amount' of tho subsidy. It was only When their efforts had failed that the Government, submitted the other proposals, which were well-known to tho public. In this connexion, Mr Rhodes paid a high tribute to the good work already done by the Commonwealth Navy. In reply to questions, Mr Rhodes eaid that ho would not favour any *iaval policy that did not ensure the placing of all the warships of the- oversea Dominions under ono control, and that an. Imperial one, in war time. Though it liad suggested that Parliament (should moot earlier, he did not think it was practicable foT reasons which he gave. He did not favour tlic abolition of tho Upper House, preferring rather to sco men of wide and varied experience elected under tho new system—men who would carefully revise work that had oft-en

of necessity to bo done hurriedly in tho Lower House. Another question was whether 'the candidate thought the appointment of tho Hon. Thomas Mackenzie as High Commissioner a proper one. To this Mr .Rhodes replied that as Mr Mackenzie had, some years previously, had great'commercial experience in another capacity in London, ho was considered well-fitted to fill the position of High Commissioner. No bargain had been entered into between Mr .Mackenzie and tho Government, as had been alleged. Hβ ( did not favour passng a- mca6uro granting the electors the power to recall members, for if such power were granted, members would be little more than delegates. Personally, he preferred that members should be given a little freedom, and after all, with triennial Parliaments, electors had not to wait too long to pass judgment on a member who broke his pledges. Tho Public Servants had been most generoue in their contribution to tho Avar and other patriotic funds, but there was, Mr lthodes said, in answer to a further question, absolutely no truth the statement that they were compelled to contribute to thoso funds. Mr A. Phillips proposed, and Mr L. Lowe seconded, a hearty'vote of thanks to Mr "Rhodes for his address, which was carried enthusiastically.

Tho Hon. R. Heaton Rhodes, Government candidate for Ellesmere, will speak at the Hall to-night, at the Lincoln Druids' Hall on Monday night, at the Eilesmero School on Tuesday at 2 p.m., and at the Doyleston Hall on Tuesday a* p.m. Mr J. C. Free, Opposition candidate for Ellesmere, will epeak at Lincoln to-night. Mill road, Spreydon on Monday, and Prebbleton on.* Tuesday.